No Parachute Required for Liberals in Cariboo-P.G.
By Bill Phillips
Just as Conservative Todd Doherty likely curses the possibility of Sheldon Clare running as an independent in Cariboo-Prince George, the three NDP candidates are likely now cursing the Liberals.
Especially since, unlike last time around, the Grits aren’t going to parachute in a candidate. The Liberal candidate last time, Sangeeta Lalli, wasn’t even sure if she would move to the riding if she got elected. Oh well, didn’t bother Dick Harris, so why should residency be a problem for the Liberals?
However, that’s not the case this time around. The Liberals seem to be a little more serious this time around, or, at least, they have managed to draw some interest in the party nomination at the local level, and that will hurt the NDP candidate more than the Conservative one.
Exploration Place CEO Tracy Calogheros and adult education teacher Matt Shaw have both thrown their hats into the ring.
Calogheros certainly brings a high-profile to the nomination race. She has been very involved in the community and, through her position at the Exploration Place, has experience dealing with politicians, of all stripes … on a political level.
I don’t know much about Shaw other than he was born and raised in Vanderhoof and has spent the last 26 years in Prince George working in adult education. Being born and raised in the riding will work in his favour and having spent a couple of decades in the education system gives exposure at a level other than political (it certainly helped Mayor Lyn Hall, who capitalized on his experience on the school board in his move to the mayor’s chair).
The main point for the Liberals is that they will, in all likelihood (the nomination isn’t over yet), field a candidate from the riding who is committed to the riding. That will be an improvement.
However, it will be a bit of climb for whoever wins the nomination. In 2011, the Liberals captured just five per cent of the vote, polling behind the Green Party. It can easily be argued that the poor showing in 2011 was largely the result of the parachute candidate.
It was obvious in 2011 that the Liberals had written off the riding as un-winnable and ignored it.
The recipe for the Liberals to wrestle the riding away from the Conservatives is the same as for the NDP. They have to get a good candidate in place (which they seem to be on their way to doing), the federal arm of the party has to put some money into the riding for the campaign, and the leader has to show some interest.
In nine years as prime minister, Stephen Harper has yet to visit Prince George, snubbing even this year’s 2015 Canada Winter Games. His lack of attention is probably endemic to the fact that Harris, now a parachute candidate as well, won with 56 per cent of the vote so his support isn’t needed to win.
That has changed with Harris’ retirement and the NDP surging in the polls. The riding is no longer a lock for the Conservatives. So, will the leaders pay attention to Cariboo-Prince George? Will any of them bother to pay us a visit? Trudeau was here a couple of years ago and former NDP leader Jack Layton was actually here during the campaign in 2011. Mulcair stopped in in 2012 when he was vying to be leader of the NDP.
Will Harper, Mulcair, Trudeau, and even Green Party leader Elizabeth May pencil in a stop in Prince George en route to 24 Sussex Drive? Sure would be nice. Those who sit in the prime minister’s chair should be paying attention to the entire country, not just the segments that can get them elected.
Bill Phillips is a freelance columnist living in Prince George. He was the winner of the 2009 Best Editorial award at the British Columbia/Yukon Community Newspaper Association’s Ma Murray awards, in 2007 he won the association’s Best Columnist award. In 2004, he placed third in the Canadian Community Newspaper best columnist category and, in 2003, placed second. He can be reached at billphillips1@mac.com
Comments
Sheldon Clare entering the race is confusing at best. I’ve been a Conservative for many years and have met him on countless occasions, Nice guy, yes! Again, I’m not sure why he would run, he has absolutely no chance to win. But what I do know is, if the NDP win because of a right split, Sheldon Clare will undoubtedly be holding the bag on this. We just have to look to Alberta to see what a split of the right vote brings to the table. Its interesting and disturbing to see all the left leaning, orange koolaid drinking media types and local Dippers cheering him on to run… but then again it is in their best interest!
I agree with Veritas. Sheldon could have let his name stand for the nomination for the riding of PG Cariboo, however he did not,. Now he wants to run as an independent. So whats his end game. Does he hope to split the Conservative vote and get enough NDP, Liberal votes to get elected.
Lets assume that he got elected, then what would be do. Sit in Ottawa as a back bencher with absolutely no power???.
Interesting development. In any event the Conservatives won PG Cariboo, with 5000 more votes than all the other parties combined, so they have a pretty good starting point.
The Independent who ran in the last Federal Election in 2011 got 394 votes, so perhaps running as an Independent is not such a great idea.
Sheldon Clare has been floating around for years. The gun lobby was hi big thing. As a Politian he don’t got it.
Cheers
“Lets assume that he got elected, then what would he do? Sit in Ottawa as a back bencher with absolutely no power?”
This is different than Dick Harris (7 times) and Bob Zimmer how exactly?
People are fed up with the cronyism of the Harper regime and so I think Sheldon Clair will win over a lot of votes from conservative and independent minded people that otherwise would have no one to vote for. I think he will get more votes than the conservative nominee.
With Tracy entering the race, all bets are off on any prediction of the out come for this riding though. Tracy will be a strong candidate without many weakness. Her heart is with PG and Northern BC, and she is a genuine spirit, so that will get her at least 20% of the vote.
The ndp are surging nationally because of strong leadership, but at the local level if all they can put forward is the current cast of nominees then they are in big trouble and may not even be a factor in this riding. It may come down to a three way split between Tracy, Sheldon, and the conservative nominee with any of the three potentially taking the seat depending on how the campaign shapes up.
I also know Sheldon… He is one of the few that are trying to change the way things are politically done.. at least he is doing something..not like the rest of us who just sit here and bitch and complain and yet dont really do much to change the way things are done ( yes I include myself in that group :)
I think it’s time for a new party to represent our region. Dick was a major let down, but won time and time again because he was a conservative. What did we truly get in return?
As this article mentions, Dick didn’t even live here, and the PM cant find the time in 11 years to visit a conservative strong-hold. Which hosted a national event he has traditionally always attended.
Being too loyal to one party hasn’t paid off for PG. Too bad Shari Green didn’t win the conservative nod; I’m sure that would have changed the odds for the conservatives haha
Perhaps Sheldon can garner some votes from the people with true conservative values. Small government, balanced budgets, transparency, democracy, and supporting business development with research and development sciences , certainly aren’t representative of the current bunch calling the shots in Ottawa.
However, partisan politics and voting on party lines will probably get Todd the seat.
pgjohn, you made me smile. I think you are right if Green got in as you said it, “would have changed the odds for the conservatives.” They would have lost.
I heard Sheldon is upset because Nick did not get in. So now he is stomping his feet. Interesting but not the best reason to run, but I only have an opinion and a vote.
I think if you want to get in you should be very committed to the job. If they are, we will see them in our ridings and hear what they have to say. If not we will only read about them.
So far I only really see one person who has been out running and not just jumping in at the last minute to see if they can luck out and get a seat.
Good for Tracy for stepping forward. She will make a good candidate. The dippers are still trying to figure out when they are going to hold a nomination meeting and can’t seem to get it together. Munoz is the strongest candidate but she will not win because of the Skakun factor and the wanna be king makers are backing Derrick. The bitter conservatives, especially the sore losers on the Nick team, will make Todd’s chances interesting. They want Sheldon, the north of the border NRA candidate, to win and they don’t care if they lose this seat in the process.
At this juncture I would give Todd a slight edge over Tracy. He seems to be out there working hard in all the parts of the region. At the end of the day, his hard work might not matter if the feuding Green/Fedorkiu factions sit this one out.
@pgjohn I believe Dick Harris brought around 2 billion dollars to the riding over the years… not bad for a backbencher!
And for all of you who think Sheldon Clare would even have a slight chance at winning as an independent may be either completely delusional or my best guess is that you have never voted Conservative in your life and are only chiming in to support your real orange coloured agenda.
@veritas,
Global recently did a report showing the majority of govnt spending has gone to weak conservative ridings – trying to win their support.
And a backbencher for 22 years… that’s something to be proud of.
Can anyone see the 2 Billion or is it just you ?
@pgjohn So you would consider Prince George – Caribou “a weak Conservative riding”… Wow, that statement certainly shows how disconnected you are politically.
Uh oh..
250 News better increase their server memory before Sophic crashes the site with endless megabytes of political mud slinging…
@veritas,
My quote – “majority of govnt spending has gone to weak conservative ridings”
This didn’t say anything about Caribou-Prince George. You can believe harris brought in enough, but the reality of the matter was that there was more spending in other ridings where it wasn’t a slam dunk win.
Why would they spend a lot here? PG proved you can have an absent MP, who spent almost the most of any MP in Canada and still win with heavy support election after election.
I’m well aware this is a conservative stronghold. It just blows my mind that it continues to be one.
Pgjohn it is the most amazing thing to watch people vote against their own self interest for 22 years . The con cabinet must just laugh themselves sick when they look at Harpervalley bc . I know I do . Doing the same thing over , over and over for 22 years . Then expecting a different out come . Wasn’t pg the only one that did not get any fed airport funding this year ? Most of the funding went into fortress Cullen . Aka skeena riding .
I’m well aware this is a conservative stronghold. It just blows my mind that it continues to be one.
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With all these working people that make up PG the voter turn out is pathetic.
What wasit32% that voted at the last election. You need to get out of your big trucks find a polling station and vote.
Democracy is a participants sport and you need to get out and play the game
Cheers
@Retired02 – Maybe try 57% for Harris’s riding, 53.3% Zimmer’s (Hill’s) riding, not to be confused with 59% in Ed Fast’s riding of Abbotsford. Better add the old Abby residents as too frail to walk to the voting booth.
Cheers
Do you ever notice that most people spend their energies slagging Harris and the PG Cariboo Riding. Probably half the bitchers live North of the Nechako River, and are in PG Peace River Riding. In any event both ridings go Conservative in a big way. In the past they voted Reform, and before that Social Credit, so you get some indication of what your up against.
Brother Gecko. There is a big difference between sitting in Government that has a majority, and sitting in Ottawa as an Independent. Members of the Government even if they are backbenchers can get some things done for their ridings. Independents cant get anything done.
Ataloss. I can almost guarantee you that you have voted the same for the past 22 years more or less. Ie; NDP-Green. Why is it wrong for Conservatives and right for you. Eh?
Sheldon hasn’t declared yet whether he will run or not, perhaps he wont, either way the Conservatives have the best chance to win the riding.
If the reformers can’t win the two PG ridings then they have far bigger election problems than what people are discussing here, LOL.
Palopu , the difference between me and the Useful Idiot con promotors is that I do not vote against my own self interests unknowingly . If you are not in the top ten percent of the one percent and you vote con . Then you are voting against your own self interests because the con does not work for you . You must be uber rich Palopu or you are something else .
I vote conservative, am not in the top 10%, and am fully aware of my self interests. I guess I am a useful idiot in your world. I look forward to debating you as things heat up. Paid trolls are always exposed through their obvious BS. You, stockaloss will be no different.
I like to consider each of the candidates actual strengths/weaknesses, and not the banner behind them. Voting for a banner hasn’t done anything for PG the past 22 years, except give Harris a healthy pension. I would hope most voters would do the same. Yes the party’s stance is important, but at the same time who ever we send is the face of our region in Ottawa. Let’s not send another leech.
Well thank you for the update on voter turn out. Where was the other 47% that didn’t bother to vote? And I’ll admit that a bible thumper would only vote for the likes of Harper. Birds of a feather flock together.
And look at the voter turn out in municipal elections and the crying has been deafening on how our cities are managed.
It is possible that the cons will take PG but let me assure you they will not form the next government for us. We have had enough of their dictatorship. So you know where to put your voter stats. The turn out is pathetic.
Cheers
A- anybody
B- but
C- con
D- DOHerty
Must be a lot of bible thumpers in Abby too as Ed Fast is a Conservative working under “the likes of Harper”. You guys keep putting him into office with 65 percent of the vote in each of the last 3 elections. Maybe put your insights into the Abby News and they will carry more weight.
Cheers
@ Digitus- Your candidate lost in a fair contest… perhaps its time to get over it!
I actually think Digitus Impudicus is in the running, I have often wondered. Then again, I don’t think think when your name means middle finger you should listen to what he says too much. lol
I wondered about that too, not the friendly sort of folk anyway.
@ Digitus- Your candidate lost in a fair contest… perhaps its time to get over it!
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Smells like PC to me. Hey 30 or so churches. and you think there are a lot of bible thumpers. And when you say that we elect them so who would?
PG has the same sad story maybe not bible punchers but its called “apathy”. And don’t get me wrong I have never voted for Fast and never will. I worked as a tradesman all my life and always supported my union and the NDP. How ever ataloss makes a lot of sense and since I am no longer a union member maybe the Greens are good alternative.
And the Abby News reminds me of the Prince George Free Press. So I wont be going there. Besides the TV and printed matter are all just word smiths so I’m not going there and I lived to long in PG to just desert it is not my stile.
Cheers
Dow as far as I know the Conservative party is the only one that is using paid trolls . I believe the story was at the CBC . I am fully open to being paid to do what I like doing ( telling the truth ) but alas there are no offers . Btw I had a screaming hot day in the markets today . Green across the board . The big boards in NYC that is and arbitrage is your friend when goofs like harper tank your dollar . $ 1.30 today and climbing . you should search ” Useful idiot ” and read it a few times .
The story is on YouTube via ctv . CTV confirms that the conservative government is using paid trolls . Be careful what you ask for kiddow . You might just get it .
Ataloss. If you had an 8th of the intelligence of Harper, you would then be able to grasp the big picture, but because you don’t you have to plod along with your verbal diarrhea.
As an example. 5,832,401 people voted Conservative in the last election. These people voted for their own self interest, which was to keep the socialist NDP at bay. God forbid they should ever form the Federal Government.
4,508,474 people voted for the NDP, hmmmmm. Perhaps I should say that they voted against their self interests, because the Conservatives are the ones that keep them working. Hmmmm.
Pal you will never grasp the big picture. You are so possessed with your politics you will never see reality. When I knew you were just a confused individual posseded with how the City should operate. You are blinded by reality.
Cheers
Retired 02. If you review one of your previous posts you would see that you stated that you worked as a tradesman all your life and supported your Union and the NDP. So who’s possessed by their politics.
I can support your working as a tradesman.
I can support your supporting your Union.
I can’t for the life of me see why you would support the NDP.
If there is one thing that is guaranteed it is that the NDP has done nothing for you EVER.
“the Conservatives are the ones that keep them working”
There is absolutely no way you can verify that. You assume that the other parties would have done worse during a recession. We now have an echo recession coming on. I do not blame the party in power. They can do squat under the Canadian federal system.
I am much more concerned about Harper’s grandstanding in the international arena. Most of it is very un-Canadian.
Remember that in 2011 Harper’s Cabinet was found in contempt of parliament.
That was the first occurrence in Commonwealth history of a government in the Westminster parliamentary tradition losing the confidence of the House of Commons on the grounds of contempt of parliament.
Great leadership style.
“the Conservatives are the ones that keep them working ? Pal you a delusional . He’s all pipe lines . Where are they ? He’s all about shipping to new markets . Where are they ? He’s all about the Alberta energy superpower . Where are they ? At oil under 50 bucks a barrel . And tanking the Canuck buck . When will ideology meet reality ? Never . It’s a little bit like religion . You have to leave your brain at the door .
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